Changed
by fptc77
Summary: What if Daniel hadn't ascended during "Meridian"?


**CHANGED**

_Summary: _What if Daniel hadn't ascended at the end of "Meridian"?

_Author: _fptc77

_Rating: _T

_Categories: _General, for now . . . though that'll change later.

_Content warning: _Nothing so far, but that'll change too.

_Spoilers: _AU, intentionally diverging at "Meridian."

_Disclaimer: _I didn't create them, I don't make money off them, etc.

_Author's Note: _There will be more. I know where I want this story to end, although I don't yet know how long it will take me to get there. (That said, I'm fairly sure it'll be at least two or three more chapters.)

* * *

As the rest of SG-1 headed up the ramp towards the Stargate, Daniel Jackson simply stood at the base of the ramp, staring at the gate. When they didn't hear Daniel's footsteps behind them, they turned around. Daniel could see the concerned looks on their faces.

"Just give me a moment. You know what day today is."

They all did—everyone at Stargate Command knew. It was the anniversary of the most painful day of his life. Daniel doubted he'd ever truly be rid of those memories, but just getting up that morning, and remembering what day it was brought those memories rushing forward. He prayed that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't have to go through that hell again next year.

He remembered almost running down the ramp after returning from Kelowna. He could recite word for word his litany of the symptoms of radiation poisoning that he quoted to Jack. He could remember Janet Fraiser covering him from head to toe in bandages to protect him. _God, if she had any natron, she could have turned me into a _real_ mummy, _Daniel thought to himself, not for the first time.

Most of all, though, Daniel would never forget what happened when he brought Jack O'Neill to the astral plane where he had met Oma Desala.

~~~~~~V~~~~~~

"_Daniel?" Jack asked._

"_Yeah."_

"_Did you want something?"_

"_Yeah. Tell Jacob to stop."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because this isn't what's meant to be."_

_Jack couldn't really come up with a response, so he just stared at Daniel._

_Daniel simply sighed, and looked upward, and said, seemingly to the air around him, "Oma? See, I _told _you he wouldn't understand."_

_After a brief and sudden flash of light, Oma Desala stood beside Daniel, looking at Jack._

"_Daniel—are you Ascending on me?"_

_Oma quickly said, "No, Jack, he's not." Jack looked slightly relieved, but still confused._

_Oma continued, "I told you, I would like nothing more. But Daniel's presence in the mortal world is far more important. His actions today saved millions of lives on Kelowna."_

_A microscopic smile flashed across Jack's face, but the mere thought of the cost to Jack and the rest of SG-1 was too great for that smile to last long._

"_Jacob can stop Daniel from dying, but he will not be able to _heal_ Daniel. Daniel would be alive, but he would hardly be living." At this, both men frowned. "I, however, _can_ heal him fully. Daniel will return to you as healthy as he was the day he first set foot on Kelowna. Healthier, perhaps."_

"_But what about the whole 'non-interference' thing, Oma?" This came from a skeptical Jack._

"_I am willing to take the risk—it might even be the most important risk I take . . . things are changing. I wish I could tell you more, but telling you what I know might only make things worse."_

_Jack didn't think things could get any worse._

_Daniel jumped in before Jack could say anything. "So tell him what will happen, Oma."_

"_Many things, but, unfortunately, they must be done in the mortal plane; I cannot do them here." Oma turned to Jack before continuing. "This will, unfortunately, take some time. . . . Several of your months, Jack."_

_And now Jack knew it could get worse._

"_I know how much he means to you, and how much he means to the world. . . . the worlds, the galaxies, the Universe. . . . so I promise you, I will return Daniel as soon as I possibly can, and I assure you that you will know exactly when that will be._

"_Now, Daniel, we must go."_

"_I'm gonna miss you guys," Daniel said to Jack._

"_Yeah, you too."_

"_Thank you, for everything, and I guess I'll see you in a few months."_

_Oma activated the Gate. Just as Daniel turned around, O'Neill had the presence of mind to ask, "Hey . . . where are you going?"_

"_I don't know. But I'll tell you when I get back."_

_And until the day he returned, Jack didn't hear a single word from Daniel or Oma._

~~~~~~V~~~~~~

Had Daniel not been unconscious at that point, he might have seen Oma appear before SG-1, General Hammond, and Dr. Fraiser to take Daniel's shattered body away.

But he _did _remember a few of those "many things" that had happened to him. Oma had told him that he would, unfortunately for him, have to be conscious for some of the procedures—the ones where they actually needed input from him. Mercifully, though, he was unconscious for the transplants and surgeries. _At least this isn't as bad as the radiation sickness, _Daniel often reminded himself during those months.

~~~~~~V~~~~~~

A little over five months after the day Daniel left with Oma, O'Neill was sitting in the briefing room, having just finished a meeting with SG-1. He, Carter, Teal'c, Jonas Quinn, and General Hammond were all surprised when they heard Walter sound the alarm over the intercom.

"_Unscheduled offworld activation! SG-1 to the Control Room! Repeat: unscheduled offworld activation! SG-1 to the Control Room!"_

The same unspoken question formed in all of their minds as they headed to the control room.

_Daniel?_

"It's SG-1's code, General."

"Then, open the iris!" This came from an anxious Jack.

The iris opened, and a few seconds later, they saw Daniel emerge from the event horizon with Oma Desala; Daniel thanked Oma, who then returned through the Gate.

General Hammond, not taking any precautions, did not allow SG-1 into the Gate room. The first people to greet Daniel upon his return to Earth were Doctor Fraiser and her team. They watched as Fraiser, clad in a radiation suit, and waving a radiation monitor around Daniel's body.

A couple of minutes later, when Janet reported that Daniel showed no traces of radiation, a wave of relief passed through the control room. Of course, she still needed to examine Daniel further, but she saw no danger in allowing SG-1 to see Daniel . . . in the infirmary, of course.

Although Daniel didn't look tired when he walked through the Stargate, fatigue caught up with him in the infirmary. Shortly after the rest of the team arrived, and Janet began her physical, Daniel begged for some rest. Janet decided to grant his request, and ushered SG-1 out for the evening, promising they could return the next morning when Daniel was awake.

About the only things they learned from Daniel was that he no longer needed allergy medications . . . or his glasses. "I don't remember a whole lot of things, but I do remember that. She said 'It was the least I could do for you, Daniel.'"

* * *

_Credits: Some of the dialogue was taken from Gateworld. Any deviations between the transcript and my version are, of course, intentional._

_Also, I considered going into gory detail about the medical stuff, but decided I'd rather not focus on that, at least not right now. Maybe in a later chapter._

_Finally, while I admit this is horribly clichéd, this _is _my first attempt at a story, so feedback would be most appreciated._


End file.
